Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

Rays win in Walk-off fashion……………….Again

Rays 4, White Sox 3

After the Chicago White Sox’s thirs straight loss to the surging Tampa Bay Rays, White Sox manager called for General Manager Ken Williams to make changes to the club before Tuesdays home game against the Kansas City Royals’

In an e-mail to the Chicago Tribune, Williams said he wasn’t pleased.

“It’s just not a good idea to throw your boss under the bus, especially when that boss has had your back as much as I have had his,” Williams wrote. “I expect this team, if the leadership remains positive and the players stick together and continue to play hard, it will be a fun summer.”

Guillen’s frustration boiled over after a 10th innig walk-off homer by the Rays Gabe Grosss sent the White Sox home without winning a series from the Rays. In the first series of the year, the White Sox won the series and their pitching got them that victory. This time, the Sox offense was stymied by the Rays and the pitching had unfamiliar breakdowns.

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Trivia Fact of the Night:

Outfielder Al Simmons real name is Aloysius Szymanski.

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The Good,The Bad,and The Ugly

The Good

Gabe Gross is making a statement that he loves playing with these young guys. He is also letting his bat do the talking for him the last month. In Sundays series closing win against the Chicago White Sox, Gross did everything right offensively for the Rays.

He accounted for all three of the four RBI’s, adding a 2-run triple to the mix in the 5th innig by hitting ball in the gap in right center and scoring Jonny Gomes and Shawn Riggans. Gorss came up in the bottom of the 10th, and was the only ray to bat that inning. Gross hit a long drive that rightfielder Jermain Dye just looked up at to beat the Sox and send the Rays to their 35th victory of the year.

Honorable Mention “Good Guys”:

*** The Rays reserve players made a statement on Sunday by filling in offensively for their counterparts by going 5-10 for the Day.

Jonny Gomes (1-2), Shawn Riggans (2-4), and Gabe Gross ( 2-4) helped score 3-4 runs scored by the Rays. B J Upton got the other run scored on a Carlos Pena single in the 4th inning.

** Carlos Pena, who is slowly coming out of his offensive slump got his 32nd RBI today. Pena is slowly starting to crank up his production numbers and played is usual superb defensive self in the ballgame.

* I chat with J P Howell every chance I get this season. the guy is a bright guy who is so energetic if you talk to him. That is a 180 degree look compared to last year when he did not know his role on this squad and was reserved and quiet to most of the Fans.

This year he is slapping hands and chatting up the rightfield faithful on his way to “Wheeler’s Watering Hole” my personal name for the Bullpen’s area beyond the rightfield walls.

Howell is 4-0 for the season, and is mixing his pitches extremely well and getting the out his sqaud needs to stay in contention most night.Sunday, he pitched 2 innings of 1-hit ball for the Rays.

J P is the youngest member of the Rays’ Bullpen and has appeared in 37.1 innings this season, tops in the American League.

The Bad

Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine has been inconsistant the last three starts fir the Rays. Andy has lost his last two starts, allowing 19 hits, 14 runs ( 9 earned) in 11 innings of work for a 7.36 ERA.

This recent skid came on the heels of his career high 5 game winning streak, the longest on the staff this season before Scott Kazmir equaled it Saturday night. Sonnanstine seems to have has control, but at times doesn’t have the placemtn on his breaking pitches he had in prior starts.

Sonnanstine needs to regain that form for the Rays to be successful on this upcoming long road trip against Boston, Texas and the LA Angels.

The Ugly

It has been quite awhile since B J Upton has made a baserunning blunder. I am going to give him half blame for the pickoff by White Sox’s starter Mark Buehrle . Upton was caught 15 feet off first by Buehrle in the bottom of the 1st inning. This is the 6th time he has been caught stealing this season, and the fourth where he was caught off the base and leaning to steal a base this season.

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Just a reminder that the Thursday game aginst the Boston Red Sox has been moved to 6:05 P.M. because of the pending NBA finals game in Boston that night. The game was moved up to ease traffic situation in the city between fans trying to attend either event.

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